Keep in mind that Taliban Jack! is responsible for this territory, where the population is 101,460, GDP per capita is CAD $38,231, the average household income is $62,252, and the median household income is $49,009.

President Karzai is responsible for this territory, where the population is 29,863,000, the GDP per capita is a mere CAD $1,473, and due to political and paramilitary strife, the average and median household incomes cannot even been measured.

Although Jack! has made exactly zero trips to the AO, there is no doubt in his mind that this mission is the wrong one. Too many dollars and too many lives are being spent fruitlessly. Not enough money is being directed toward reconstruction.

“I can tell you with confidence that what Canada has given to Afghanistan is very generous and we are grateful for it and it is focused properly on the reconstruction of the country and also helping fight terrorism in the country,”

“If the greatness of life is measured in deeds done for others, then Canada’s sons and daughters who have made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan stand among the greatest of their generation,”

“They have sacrificed so that we in Afghanistan may have security and they have sacrificed to ensure the continued safety of their fellow Canadians from terrorism.”

“Perhaps by the standards of today’s world we did not exist for we had nothing to sell to the world or nothing to buy from the world, so we did not matter …The tragedy of Sept. 11 showed in a terrible way the flaws of the arguments against helping Afghanistan. For one thing, it showed that, in fact, the cost of ignoring Afghanistan was far higher than the cost of helping it,”

“Canada has made a tremendous difference in the lives of millions of Afghans already. Your country is helping us on a daily basis.”

“I hope you have the patience to succeed.”

— excerpts from the address of President Hamid Karzai to the House of Commons, 22 September 2006 (sources CP and NP).

I don’t know about you, but I get all choked up reading President Karzai’s words and knowing that men and women of my generation are doing their best to rebuild his shattered country.

And I wonder what the hell is wrong with the people in Toronto-Danforth. Remember Taliban Jack!‘s poltroonery at election time, please.